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If you were buying a car...!!?

What sort of Questions would you ask?

You know they see us girls coming and think oh she'll have any old tat! :lol:

& to be honest I wouldn't really know any better.. but lucikly I already have a good old reliable car.. but a friend of mine wants to drag me alone to buy a car with her.. :lol: what sort of things can I ask about to get the right information and to seem to know what i'm talking about so were no taken for a couple of.. muppets! lol

thanks brainy girls! xxx

Replies

  • I've bought 3 cars and a motorbike all on my own.. or was it 2 motorbikes - can't remember! Oh and a house so I think I'm kinda good at asking the right questions.

    You want to ask if they have a service history, how many previous owners, have a look at the vehicle registration document to see who the previous owner was (it might be a hire company or something which might mean lots of drivers),

    how long they've had it in the shop is a good one although if its been in a while its not necessarily a bad thing - my 2nd corsa had been in the shop for 6 months but they had taken it in a trade in and their other shop sold posher cars so noone was interested in a little corsa so they moved it and knocked the price down and I got a good deal.

    Lets see... when does the tax run out, when does the mot run out, are they gonna tax/mot it for her?

    Definately open all the doors, boot and bonnet and have a good look for rust, listen to the engine running and rev it up and try and have a listen for anything sounding off, or the exhaust sounding rough - I always listen for the exhaust as i've had 2 cars and a bike with knackered exhausts so I know what it sounds like.

    Also check the mileage, and before you go, buy one of those parkers guide things because they will tell you what a good mileage and price is for the car - i always use them as they at least give me a guide on whether the car is knackered or over priced etc. Think they are only about ??3 or ??4.

    Oh ..also find out what kind of warrenty they will do.

    I'm assuming your mate is going to a garage - personally I wouldn't buy a car at a private sale without taking someone (my brother image) who knows more about cars as if something goes wrong you have no warrenty or anything.

    hope that helps image
  • To add to kia's advice (which is very good!), ask to see a HPI check for the car. No garage should be selling a car without one. It will tell you how many owners the car has had, if there is any outstanding finance, if the car has been stolen etc. If you are buying privately then you can do the HPI check yourself for about ??10 but I agree with Kia that you are safer buying from a garage if you don't really know much about cars.
    I would also say, don't buy it without a test drive, some of the big car supermarkets discourage test drives, but it is the only way to make sure you really like the car so if they won't let you, go somewhere else. While you are driving check that the brakes etc feel ok, make some tight turns (full lock) and check that there are no funny noises etc. Oh, and if you don't know before you go what car you are interested at make sure you check the tax level and fuel economy and get an insurance quote, or you (or rather your friend) could get a nasty suprise with the running costs!
    xx
  • To add to the already good advicd find out when the disc pads and brakes were last changed.
    Also if you are going private make sure they have kept up with the service history and check the tires
  • I think she wants to go to car giant.. her OH claimes to know all about cars lol but doesn't even have a liecence, My Oh is very impusive as is my friend lol images of what they come out with :roll: this advice is fab & i'm going to print it out and take it with us! Ta lovely ladies! x
  • DON'T go to a car giant - they are such rip off merchants!!!! No offence if anyone works in one, but I've worked in the trade for long enough to have had experience of the types of cars they sell and their cheapo fixes of problems. Try and go to a local dealer with a good reputation if you can - not necessarily main dealer, some of the little independant ones can give as good service, if not better. If she doesn't know what car she wants, tell her to test drive about 4 or 5 cars, then come home and check values on something like Autotrader to make sure she pays a fair price. Don't be afraid to haggle - now is a good time to be buying a car and they will be keen to get the sale so a bargain can be had! Oh, and NEVER buy a car the first time she sees it, even if she goes back the same day for a 2nd look there's nothing worse than an impulse buy that you later regret!
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